The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
by Tato Potato
Summary: All he was doing was trying to help his older brother. It wasn't meant to end like this. Will Ethan make it through this alive or will Cal have to make a hard decision?
1. Chapter 1

His arm dangled limply off of the stretcher as they approached the doors of the ED. Cal took a deep breath, it was going to be a long night. He glanced down at his little brother and wished he could take his place. Ethan was laid on the stretcher with several cuts and bruises across his face. He had rescued Cal from a fight when they were at the pub across the street from the ED. "okay folks, this is Ethan Hardy, aged 30 involved in a fight, sats 91%, BP at 120/80, pulse is 70 and GCS has been 10 throughout' muttered Dixie as she helped to wheel Ethan through the corridors. "Straight to resus please Dix" Zoe responded. As the doctors began to work on Ethan, Cal was taken to cubicles where he was treated for a couple of broken ribs and a split knuckle where he had punched someone. Charlie began to stitch up his hand when Cal thought he recognised a familiar face... "No, it can't be," he thought as he stood up to get a better look at the mysterious figure.


	2. Chapter 2

**I would like to thank TheAtomicCheesePuff, ETWentHome and Tanith Panic for their wonderful reviews. As you have requested I have made this chapter a bit longer. Please read and review and let me know what you think.**

He pushed passed Charlie nearly knocking over the equipment trolley. He raced out of the cubicles and saw her. Honey. She timidly looked up at him. "Hi," she murmured. "What are you doing here" he quizzed. "I'm back for a visit, I wanted to see Ethan, is he around?" She asked. After explaining what had happened to Ethan he turned on his heel and left. As he slowly approached the doors to resus he couldn't bring himself to enter. Tess walked out of the room and stood next to him. "They've checked him over, he is severely concussed but they need to do an MRI and CT scan before they can confirm anything." She explained. "Zoe is removing the fragments of glass from his scalp and then it can be stitched" she continued. By this point Cal was a wreck. He was slumped against the wall with tears running down his face. He ran his hand through his hair. All of a sudden the machines were going off and Tess ran off disappearing into resus. "Right, his sats are dropping, his pulse is weak and he is slightly tachycardic." He heard this and burst through the door. "I need a pericardialcenthesis now" he said as he removed his jacket and threw it onto the floor"

"Dr Knight may I remind you that you aren't on duty and you are family." Shouted Zoe as she tried to push Cal away from his brother. "I am the only one her who has any experience with this procedure and I'm not going to let you touch him!" He snapped. The monitors were still going off and Zoe needed to focus her attention on Ethan. Security arrived and removed Cal out of resus and into Zoe's office. Back in resus Zoe was trying to determine the best course of action for Ethan. If she didn't act soon Ethan might die...


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to ETWentHome, Tanith Panic, CBloom2 and beckyboogle for your reviews! They are grately appreciated! :)**

Zoe decided on the diagnosis of a tension pneumothorax. She called over to Lofty who was assisting her in resus 'can you grab a needle, chest drain, a sterile gown and drapes please, urgently! ' she turned around tEthan as Lofty handed her the gown and gloves and set about laying the drapes. She took the needle and slowly inserted it between Ethan's ribs. She waited to hear the rush of air which signified that the decompression had worked but alas there was no sound. 'Lofty, get Cal NOW!' She yelled as Lofty hurried out of resus. He returned seconds later with Cal. 'Zoe, he's cyanosed!' Cal cried, 'he's going to die if we don't do something now' he stated. He saw the needle sticking out of his little brother's chest. 'Why the hell didn't you do the pericardiocentesis?' He screamed. 'Zoe took a step back. 'He has equal breath sounds you idiot' he continued shouting at her. He turned around and called out a list of equipment before taking a gown of his own and some gloves. 'Right, Lofty take the bed up at a 30 degree angle' he instructed. He took the syringe with the needle attached and steadily inserted it into the 5th intercostal space. 'Upwards and to the left' he muttered under his breath remembering what Connie had told him. He pulled the plunger of the syringe and it slowly filled with blood. The machines stopped bleeping and silence fell on the resus. 'I guess I'm now on duty' he whispered to Lofty who clapped him on the back. He turned on his heel and left resus to go and change into his scrubs. As he left the room he suddenly became light headed. The room was spinning, he couldn't see straight. Before he could do anything he began to fall towards the floor and collapsed...


	4. Chapter 4

Rita had just stepped out of her office when she saw Noel running towards her. She looked up and saw Cal sprawled on the floor with several people crowding around him. She called over to Big Mac who was walking toward cubicles. 'Big Mac I'm going to need a trolley over here, as fast as you can please!' He came over with the trolley and helped to lift the young doctor on to it. They wheeled him into cubicles and hooked him up to a monitor. Just moments after he collapsed he began to stir. 'You're back with us then?' Smiled Rita who was noting down his obs in his notes. She returned the clipboard to its original position before pulling up a chair. 'E...Ethan' he stuttered. 'He's just coming back from a head CT. I'll get a wheelchair and we can go and see him if you like?' Rita stated. 'I'd rather walk' Cal murmured. 'I don't think so' she replied as Max entered with a wheelchair. They walked down the corridor in silence. All of his colleagues stared as he was wheeled to his brother's bedside. 'Okay I'll be back when his results come back and Dylan will go through them with you' Rita said as she and Max left the brothers alone. Cal looked at his little brother. He had never seen him look so vulnerable as he did now. His hair was caked with dried blood from his head injury. His glasses were cracked and his face was littered with cuts and bruises. The doors swung open and Dylan marched into the room with an iPad. He had Ethan's CT scan displayed on the screen. 'Right, Evan has a bleed on his brain,' he stated bluntly before leaving the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Cal jumped out of the wheelchair still feeling woozy and chased after him. 'His name is Ethan, hang on what do you mean a bleed' he asked worriedly. 'Well look at the results yourself, you are a doctor aren't you' he asked arrogantly. Cal picked up the iPad and flicked to the scan. He could see the bleed. 'It's not going to kill him if thats what you are worried about' he said before disappearing off to treat another patient. Cal stumbled back towards resus when he noticed a small trail of blood leading towards resus. He ran towards the doors before realising that the blood was his. He had forgotten about the saline drip that was in his arm. He had managed to tear it out. When he returned to his brother's bedside he sat down before pressing the button to call a nurse. 'How can I help Cal,' came a voice from behind. He had forgotten that she had been there. Honey realised that Ethan was in the bed and rushed over to his bedside. 'Why didn't you tell me that he was here' she cried tears streaming down her heavily made up face. 'I didn't think you cared, I mean you disappeared for months and never thought to call so I assumed that you didn't care about Ethan.' He snapped. Before she could defend herself, there was a knock at the door. 'Cal?' 'Ah Robyn yes, just the person I need,' he said as Robyn saw the blood pooling on the floor beside where he was sat in the wheelchair. 'What happened?' She asked. Cal simply lifted up his arm to show the blood trickling down it. 'I need another cannula please, I accidentally tore this one out' he stated nonchalantly as Robyn donned some gloves before gently inserting another cannula. As she taped it onto his arm so that it wouldn't fall out, they heard a small whimper from the bed. It was Ethan


	6. Chapter 6

'Don't get up!' Cal murmured. 'What's that,' Ethan responded hoarsely as he looked down his left hand side. He could see a tube coming out of his ribs, it was quite uncomfortable. 'You had a pericardiocentesis, we had to insert a chest drain.' He replied matter of factly. This was the thing with Ethan, you couldn't play anything down he was a smart person as well as being a doctor. 'How're you feeling?' Cal quizzed as Ethan sank back onto the soft pillows. 'Bit sore,' he whispered. Cal opened the doors of resus and called for a nurse. 'Lofty, get me 5 of morphine please as soon as you can' He was always so overprotective if his brother and he especially didn't want him to be in any pain. Lofty entered the room with the morphine and helped Cal to administer it. 'How bad is it?' Ethan asked. 'The good news is that no major organs were damaged, the bad news is that you had what seemed like a concussion-' 'and?' Ethan cut him off. 'You had a small bleed on the brain. A consultant from neurology will come down shortly to check you over and go over your diagnosis. You just sit here and relax. Let me know if you need anything.' He said as he approached the door. As he reached to open the door, honey blocked him from being able to leave. 'Can I see him?' She asked. 'Not right now, he's very tired,' Cal replied trying to brush her off. He came back two hours later to find Ethan sat in bed talking to the neurology consultant. A look of worry etched on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Before he knew it he began to feel ill. He clapped his hand to his mouth as he ran towards the bathroom. He began to throw up. Lofty had seen him and went to Rita. After explaining what had happened he took her to the bathroom where he was. By this point Cal was as white as a sheet, sweating and shaking violently. Lofty took a blanket from a nearby trolley and wrapped it around the tall young doctor. He gently steered him out of the bathroom and into a cubicle, closely followed by Rita. 'What are you playing at?' The clinical nurse manager asked him. 'Honestly you brothers are hard work sometimes.' She was concerned about Cal because he had already collapsed and she didn't want his condition to deteriorate. 'Ethan' Cal spluttered. Moments later he found himself sat in a wheelchair being taken to see his little brother. Ethan was staring into the distance with a look of worry on his face when his thoughts were disrupted by the arrival of his brother. 'Geez Caleb, what happened.' His brother murmured hoarsely. 'I'm fine, have you spoken to the consultant yet?' He asked even though he already knew the answer. 'Umm, I kind of won't be discharged today,' he stuttered. 'Well of course not but what about your bleed?' 'Oh that is not a problem, I do need to have a scan though,' he stated. Cal was beginning to suspect something when suddenly there was a knock at the door. 'Hello, I'm the on call oncology registrar. You must be Dr Ethan Hardy.' He said as he shook Ethan by the hand. It took a moment for the words to sink in. Before he could do anything tears began to drip down Cal's cheeks. His little brother had cancer.


	8. Chapter 8

It turns out that the bleed had occurred from the head injury. It was completely unrelated to his current condition. It had only been highlighted by the neurologist after he had checked the scans. It was a relatively small mass but would be checked by the oncologists. Ethan reached out his trembling hand and placed it on Cal's arm. 'I-I'm s-sorry!' He whispered. Cal stood completely motionless for a second before he suddenly began to wheeze. His face slowly turned grey as he struggled to catch his breath. His whole body shook as he panicked. Ethan was stuck in the bed helplessly. 'Caleb, it's me, Ethan. You are having a panic attack. I need you to calm down for me. Take a few deep breaths and calm down.' He said soothingly. Soon Cal's breathing was becoming less laboured and he was beginning to feel better. Tears still tumbled down his face. Once Cal had calmed they were both sitting there in silence as tears sprang from their eyes and dribbled down their cheeks. They sat in an awkward silence, neither of them wanted to speak, to shatter the silence would mean that they had to face reality and neither was ready.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry that I haven't uploaded any chapters for a while. I have been busy. Thanks to all of the wonderful comments, they are greatly appreciated! :)**

Ethan was the first to speak. 'I'm scared, Cal' he admitted, his voice hardly a whisper. Cal sat in silence. He wasn't sure how to respond. He too was scared. The curtain around Ethan's bed was thrown open. Zoe was stood there. She cautiously approached the bed worried about how Cal would react to her presence. 'Hello!' Ethan said, trying to make his voice appear cheerful. 'Zoe' Cal muttered avoiding making eye contact with the clinical lead. 'What is the prognosis then, Dylan told me that there was an issue with one of the scans.' She queried. Cal nodded to the foot of the bed where Ethan's charts hung. She picked them up and flipped through. She gasped nearly dropping the clipboard when she saw what was going on. 'Ethan?' She said with tears streaming down her face. He looked up at her, trying not to let his own tears fall. 'He's going to have radiotherapy for 6 weeks starting next week' Cal stated nonchalantly. It was Ethan's turn to speak. 'How do I tell people that I might die? I don't want people to pity me,' he said sadly. Zoe stood up and walked around to the side of the bed. She took Ethan's hand. 'I can tell everyone, and I will make sure that no one treats you unfairly. Of course some may pity you but I will tell them how you feel about it.' She offered. Ethan gently nodded his head as she left the room. He collapsed back onto the pillow until he heard a familiar voice calling his name.


	10. Chapter 10

He knew the voice well. It was a welcomed release from reality. 'Honey?' He whispered. The curtains opened again to reveal his close friend standing there nervously. 'Come in,' Cal said as he stood up to greet her. 'What's happened to you then?' She turned to ask Ethan. Before she could answer Zoe began to gather the staff around the nurses station and started to speak. 'As you all may know, Dr Ethan Hardy has been injured in an unfortunate bar fight across the street. He has had several scans and sadly one of the scans has revealed a large tumour on his frontal lobe. It is in fact cancer. He will be staying here over night and will be discharged tomorrow. I do not want anyone to disturb him unnecessarily and he has asked that no one pities him. If you need to talk my door is open, but for now back to work.' Honey turned to look at him. She was shell shocked. She began to sway backwards and forwards so Cal gently helped her to the chair. 'I'm sorry' Ethan said as he smiled weakly. 'YOU have nothing to apologise for Nibbles' Cal said sternly. 'If anything I should be the one to apologise, it was my fault that you got hurt.' After an hour of chatting Honey stood up and left. Cal and Ethan were left alone. Cal was beginning to feel tired. 'Ethan, come on I think it is time we went to bed.' Ethan looked up at him with a sad look in his eyes. 'I'm really scared Cal' he said. 'Don't worry Nibbles, I will be here with you every step of the way' Cal smiled at him as he helped tuck his brother into bed just like he did when they were little.


	11. Chapter 11

**I am sorry for not posting any new chapters, I have been busy. Here is the next chapter, please review if you like it so I know to continue the story**

A few days later Ethan was discharged. He would have to return to the hospital for radiotherapy in 2 days but for now he was being set free. Cal gently helped him into a wheelchair and then pushed him out if the hospital. He took him to the car and helped him to get in. Whilst he put the seatbelt on his brother he began to laugh. 'What is so funny Caleb? ' asked Ethan irritably. 'Its just normally you're the one buckling me into the car when I am drunk and now its such a role reversal!' He smiled. Once they arrived home Cal took Ethan to the living room where he had set up a comfortable area for him. He had gathered a stack of pillows, some blankets and some teddies. He had also collected all of the things that Ethan might need whilst he recovered and underwent the course of radiotherapy. 'Oh Cal, this is incredible' Ethan whispered. On the table was Ethan's iPad and a small package wrapped in blue paper. 'Open it then,' said Cal as Ethan approached the table. He picked it up and opened it. Inside was an iTunes gift card of £100 so he could buy some more tv shows and iBooks to keep himself occupied. It was a lovely gesture. The next day Ethan began what would be a long, exhausting journey of radiotherapy which would determine his fate. But for now he wanted to enjoy the time he spent with his brother.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day they woke up early to go back to the hospital for Ethan's treatment. They walked along the corridor towards the Oncology department. When they were called they entered the doctors office to have a short consultation about the course and then Ethan was led to a small room for the treatment to be conducted. It took about an hour. When he returned it was like he was a different person. He went feeling upbeat, cheerful and was cracking jokes but when he returned he was sluggish and looked depressed. On the way home Cal was trying to encourage Ethan to not lose faith but nothing seemed to work. Cal wasn't sure what to do. He became really worried when. Ethan refused to eat dinner, even though it was his favourite. He had barely spoken since the radiotherapy and had not touched a morsel of food or a drop of water. It was beginning to look as though Ethan was spiralling into depression.


	13. Chapter 13

For the next few weeks the routine remained the same. They went to and from the hospital together for Ethan's treatment and when they weren't going for treatment they were either sitting at home watching tv or at work. Ethan had insisted that he continue working even though everyone was considerate and he was allowed time off. Cal on the other hand seemed to have a different approach to work than he usually did. He would arrive and sometimes ask if he could work overtime. It seemed like he was trying to avoid going home. 'I just don't know what to do anymore. He won't talk to me and he seems to have just given up. I'm really worried.' He confided in Lily. She turned to him and looked in to his eyes. 'Listen, he's depressed. It is like he has been given the death sentence. You need to talk to him. He is probably more scared than you are. He needs to know that people will be there no matter what,' she told him bluntly. At that moment he had an idea. He ran to go and find Ethan.


	14. Chapter 14

Ethan was sat in the staff room on his break. He was on the phone to his oncologist. His face was etched with worry. When Cal appeared he ended the call. 'What's going on Nibbles?' He asked as he walked into the room. 'Oh, um, I need to see the oncologist after my shift.' He said vaguely. 'Okay, do you want me to um you know, come with you?' Cal asked, without trying to sound patronising. 'Sure, if. You want to.' He replied as he left the room. Cal chased after him. 'What is the appointment for?' He quizzed. 'I'm not sure, he wouldn't say on the phone,' Cal was left alone with his thoughts. The shift seemed to fly by. The brothers met in the staffroom before making their way to the lift and up to the oncology department in complete silence. Both of them were lost for words. They sat in the waiting room until Ethan's name was called. Shakily he stood up and Cal noticed tears forming in his little brother's eyes. He took hold of his hand and gently squeezed it to try and reassure him. They entered the office and sat down as the doctor read through his notes. 'Ah, Ethan my dear chap, how are you feeling.' He looked up from the notes and saw the sadness in the young doctors face. 'Please don't worry, I have actually called you here for some good news.' He explained.


	15. Chapter 15

'Your cancer has been reduced, if we continue with the same treatment, it is likely that six weeks from now, you could be cancer free,' the consultant said smiling. Cal sighed with relief as he clapped his brother on the back. Ethan sat there frozen, the tears still flowing from his eyes. He hadn't heard what the doctor had said. He said was almost in a trance of grief. All of a sudden his breathing quickened and he began to have another panic attack. He stood up quickly and stumbled out of the room. Before Cal could stand up they heard a thump outside of the room. A sickening feeling engulfed Cal. He knew it was Ethan. He opened the door of the office and sprinted down the corridor where his brother lay in a heap. 'Can I get some help here please' he shouted in the empty corridor. Almost as soon as he said that the corridor filled with people who all tried to help him. They carried Ethan onto a stretcher and took him down into the ED. Cal ran ahead taking the stairs and changed into his scrubs. 'He met the stretcher as the lift doors opened. 'Straight into cubicles please.' He stated as he marched alongside his brother. The ED stopped still as soon as they realised that it was Ethan. No one uttered a word. The silence was deafening. Ethan writhed on the bed, unable to breathe, his head was pounding and his arm was twisted at an odd angle where he fell. He was stuck in a panic induced trance which no one could seem to help.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews! I hope that you are enjoying this story, it is my first fanfiction and I am really nervous that not many people are enjoying it! Please review!**

'Ethan, Ethan can you hear me?' Cal asked him raising his voice to be heard over the ruckus going on outside as people began to speculate over his condition. 'Take some deep breaths Ethan, I need you to calm down.' He murmured as he tried to take a look at Ethan's arm. Ethan continued to writhe in pain and his breathing continued to become more and more rapid. 'Lofty, could you get him some oxygen and stand by, we made need to sedate him,' came Dylan's voice. 'Cal outside please, you can't treat him.' He pushed Cal out of the way and began to analyse Ethan's symptoms. 'How long has he been like this?' He asked. As Cal began to reply, one of the monitors began to screech. 'Right get him flat. His breathing is getting worse. Resp rats are increasingly high and his pulse in through the roof,' he said. 'Lets get him to resus' he called as they began to charge down the corridor. 'Ethan, please just calm down. Breathe for me. Come on Nibbles!' Cal pleaded as they sped down the corridor. All of a sudden Ethan's resp rates began to decrease albeit only slightly but it made a vast improvement in his condition. 'Oh my word. He's improving.' Dylan said as they reached resus. Cal continued to plead with him until Ethan returned to a more stable condition. He was exhausted from all of the stress he had exerted on himself. In one last effort to calm down he flopped back onto the pillows. His eyes flickered shut and he fell into a deep slumber. 'We need to take him to CT and we need an X-ray of is arm to see what damage he has done. We would like to do this whilst the is asleep so that he doesn't have another panic attack.' They wheeled him out of the room. Half an hour went by before he returned. Now he was awake, but struggling to keep his eyes open. He reached his hand out and Cal took hold of it. 'What happened?' He asked sleepily. 'I'll tell you later but first you need to rest.' Cal instructed. 'Thank you Caleb' Ethan whispered as he fell asleep. 'Is now a good time to tell you that I scratched the car,' he whispered jokily. A smile crept across Ethan's face.


	17. Chapter 17

**THE FINAL CHAPTER**

A few years later... Cal and Ethan were in their back garden having a small barbecue. A small cool box was sat in the middle of the lawn filled with a variety of drinks. Cal was stood by the barbecue cooking the food as Ethan sat chatting to their guests. They had invited all of their friends from the ED and were enjoying themselves. A small child toddled out of the house. 'Daddy, can you please play with me?' She asked timidly. He crouched down onto the ground with her. 'Of course I can,' he said with a smile. 'Okay daddy, but can Uncle Cal play too?' She asked. He smiled and looked over at his wife. Honey was sat listening intently to her father, Noel recounting an incident in the ED where a woman hit someone with a frozen chicken. He had never been happier. He had learned one thing since he had cancer, and that was you only have one life and you have to make it count. He stood up and clapped his hands twice. Silence fell on the group as everyone turned to look at him. 'I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for coming. The past couple of years have been difficult for our family and you guys have been here for us in so many ways. Although I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for one person.' He turned and looked down at his daughter who was holding her uncle's hand tightly. He then looked up at his brother who smiled at him. 'Caleb, you have literally saved my life a number of times. You have always been there to cheer me up when I was down and to calm me down when I had a panic attack, and boy did I need help.' He laughed. 'I want to thank you for everything you have done and I could never tell you how much you mean to me. If it wasn't for you I would never of had my family. My gorgeous wife Honey, and our beautiful little girl, Rosie.' He smiled at them all. 'So I would like you all to raise a glass to my wonderful brother, Caleb.' He said. 'Hang on a second, we aren't just here for me, I want to say congratulations to you too Ethan for being cancer free for nearly 4 years.' Cal interrupted. 'To Cal and Ethan, the best brothers in the world' the crowd chorused. Ethan turned to look at his family wrapping them up in an embrace. This was his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 **Okay so this is the last chapter! I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed creating it! Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed this story, it has encouraged me to write more and more. I hope that you didn't think that the ending was too cheesy but it just felt right to end it this way. (I just felt that a happier ending was better, I just couldn't kill Ethan). :)**


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